But sometimes it's best not to do something, for example...someone with a drug addiction, you can only go so far to help, before you gotta sit back and let them muddle through it. You can't force people to overcome addiction, you can't force people to leave an abusive relationship, you can't save people from themselves.

Absolutely. If it's not clear than any active action will do more harm than good then it probably is best to default to doing nothing.

You make a good point about the aid thing. I just read an interesting book about world debt and agriculture etc, it's certainly pretty complicated.

EDIT: Obviously you don't need me to tell you about this, but for reference and anyone else here's an article from the accompanying website. *goes to write review of the book*